The Contender
by gennaff
Summary: The Phantom has his own life. Sam needs something to fulfill hers.
1. Chapter 1

Sam dug her heels into the dust. It rose in wisps, undeterred by the oppressive heat. She could feel her own wisps of hair clinging to her face and neck as a reminder it was only morning and the day was due for worse heat. The weather channel predicted a blistering one-hundred degrees by noon, though she was sure he had never worked on a ranch in such weather. If he had, he would know to keep his mouth shut and to not relay the horrifying predictions. Wyatt believed in early mornings and late nights with a pregnant pause at midday in hot temperatures. Early mornings, she was reminded, started at four.

An hour had gone by and still Sam felt as if she had just crawled out of her sweat-soaked sheets. The ranch hands seemed to crawl just as slow as she, shirts tossed over wooden railings to dry. They mirrored her disgust, expressions set unhappily under smears of dust and dirt. Despite their grim expressions, she could tell they were impressed she was out at such an early hour. It showed in the respectful nods they gave as their eyes were hidden under the brim of Stetson hats and mouths were sealed into firm lines. She didn't need looks or words to see their concealed astonishment; a rancher's daughter, lived with a man raised in the Nevada dust, and she knew these men spoke louder with actions than with a microphone.

"Sam, you gonna help me or stand there stargazing?"

She sighed. Turning, she saw Jake and his familiar horse, standing with arms crossed against the hitching post. He was tall and lean, but the hat atop his crown of black hair made him seem monstrous before the white farmhouse. Witch was a small mare, built thickly and powerfully, with a strong shoulder and hindquarters. Somehow, physical differences notwithstanding, they were made for each other. They shared the same devilish attitude, though Jake was caring and compassionate – when he wanted to be. Sam had discovered Witch did not have an ounce of heart in her that wasn't reserved for Jake, and had given up befriending the mare years ago. Her friendship with the cowboy had, on the contrary, blossomed.

"Help you with what?" she wanted to know. Crossing the yard, Sam stopped a safe distance from Witch's teeth.

He jerked his head towards River Bend's acreage beyond the immediate buildings. "Fence duty."

A part of her groaned in dismay, and the other rejoiced at the chance to ride. The latter won and she held up a finger. "One minute."

A bay mustang was waiting for her at the gate. He tossed his head in delight as she speedily threw tack on him, not evening having the heart to fight her with the cinch. The weather had been constricting, too hot and dangerous to take the horses any farther than the La Charla River in case of heatstroke or dehydration. Even the dark morning was boiling, though it did not boast the sweltering sun, and hinted at the smallest shift of a breeze. It was far more appealing to ride now than wait for the oncoming storm to break the humid tension.

Ace stood steadily as she swung into the saddle. Her jeans stuck to her already, and just the feel of warm leather made sweat drip down her back. Sam pretended not to notice how filthy she had become in such a short time, taking care to remind herself that Jake was in nothing more than a tee and looked similarly distressed. Witch was lathered by the time they crossed the river and headed for the grazing pasture. She let Ace have his head and kept an eye on how warm he was, not wanting to seek medical attention this far from River Bend.

The fence found them in the darkness. It was tedious work to trail fencing and watch for weak posts or boards, especially in such a black hour when the barbed wire was invisible. Sam found herself straying, staring at the black cows within the safe barrier or to the land beyond. As comfortable as she was in the saddle, her mind was restless. With the heat, the famous white stallion had not shown his face anywhere and she missed him intensely. The sensible side of her reminded her that he had a herd to care for, many fillies and colts that needed his protection. The Phantom couldn't be everywhere at once. He had his responsibilities, just as she did. The difference was that he didn't neglect his.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sam, help me here," Jake ordered as he swung down from the saddle. He bent to the fence as if the heat didn't bother him at all.

Her eyes had been watching the distant hills and when she looked, Sam saw the bald face of a cow. She licked her lips with a fat tongue and parted her lips to cry, an accusing brown stare directed at the cowboy in front of her. Jake rapped her on the head gently, and it was enough to discourage any bloodcurdling complaints in the early hour. The cow snorted instead and wandered several yards away.

Jake tugged at a broken line in the barbed wire. Sam slipped to the ground and fished in her saddle bags for the pliers he requested and the proper gloves.

"Is she missing her baby?" Sam asked. The cow turned her bland face about, as if her ears perked on the word 'baby'.

He shrugged. Although his hands were preoccupied with wire, his mind was already finding a solution to the problem. "Could be. This part here isn't broken enough to have had a calf slip through. It looks like she tried to get out since the wire is twisted." He molded the two frayed ends together into a single strip and gave it a tug to ensure that it held. "Let's keep riding and we'll see what we can find."

_What if there's a calf loose? _she thought. _It's dangerous out this early. She wouldn't survive for very long. _Sam bit her lip. Jake's word was as good as the law when they were alone, especially when performing a ranch chore. She was just the rancher's daughter and he was a homegrown cowboy, who had enough animal sense for the both of them. If something went wrong, it would be her head on the plate, not his. Wyatt trusted Jake more than he would ever trust his daughter, and that she knew without saying. Everyone knew that.

It didn't discourage her from trying.

"Jake . . . ."

A set of narrowed dark eyes nailed her firmly into place. "Don't even start, Samantha Anne."

"A calf could be loose," she pointed out. "It's early and cool enough. This is the time when the mountain lions aren't sleeping." She looked at him beseechingly. "Jake, please."

He hooked the pliers to his belt. He moved with certain slowness, as if he delayed his actions to allow himself more time to think. She could tell he was arguing with himself from the way he rocked back on the heels of his boots and rubbed his chin absently with two fingers. Behind her back, she crossed her fingers like she had when she was six.

Finally, Jake raised the brim of his Stetson so his unfathomable eyes bored into hers. Deliberately, he said, "You want me to let you go look for this calf – which may or may not be loose. Not only would you get yourself in trouble and have no one to save your hide, but then I'd get in trouble, because doubtless you'd _look_ like hell. And it's five in the morning. There's a lot more than just mountain lions out there, and none of them are your pretty white pony." Seeing her flushed expression, he added as he swung into the saddle, "Sam, it's not worth gettin' upset about. I'd betcha the little lass is safe inside and hiding from her mama. But just in case, don't think you're gonna high-tail it to those hills and play hero. Witch may be tired, but she could catch Ace with her eyes closed."

A well of angry flames rose in her chest. Her hands trembled on the reins and she pressed her knuckles into Ace's neck for comfort. After several deep breaths, she managed a small smile. "Of course, Jake."

Her nonchalant reply made him study her face closely. He didn't like her passive attempt and she knew it. Even so, she kept her furious heart still and the smile on her face genuine.

"You're right," she added as they moved on.

He nodded.

_But that's never stopped me before_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

This story is on hold because… **I'm a published author! **Check out my book _Defiance _on the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook Stores! Here's a sneak peek…

_A nation at war, its rulers lost on the frontlines, forces a young princess to step into her parents' role and command a search that will bring them home. Unexpectedly thrust into a tempest of a political and imperial outrage, she is left with only one desire: to restore peace and stability. Armed with two guards, one she trusts with her life and the other whose sanity slips a little more every day, Vivian scours the country in search of her parents under a false identity. Her simple intentions of returning her parents to the throne are dashed by complications she'd never thought she'd encounter – love, trust, and choices at the hand of the emperor who stole from her._

If you like Tamora Pierce, J.K. Rowling, or Christopher Paolini, then it's the book for you :)

_Defiance_ by G.C. Naffin

Twitter: /gcnaffin

Blog: .com/

Website: ./

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Hope to be hearing from you!


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